On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett affirmed Israel's "moral obligation" in its attempt to stop the fighting in Ukraine, while Israeli media sources reported the failure of his mediation to stop the war there.
Bennett's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin lasted 3 hours on Saturday, then he spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, before heading to Berlin, where he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to his office, Bennett spoke with Zelensky three times in the past 24 hours.
Bennett said - before the weekly cabinet meeting - that he "will not expand further" in his talks, but stressed that he will continue to work diplomatically "as needed" with the concerned parties.
The Israeli prime minister added, "Even if the opportunity is not great, I see that as long as there is a small window of hope and we have access to all parties, it is our moral duty to make every possible effort."
On Sunday, Bennett again consulted by phone with the Russian president, as well as with the German chancellor and French President Emmanuel Macron, his office said, without further details.
And the Kremlin announced after Bennett's visit - in a statement - that Putin and the Israeli Prime Minister "presented the situation in a comprehensive form", and agreed to "remain in contact."
Israel said Bennett's trip to Moscow was coordinated with Washington and major European powers.
But Israeli media reported that US officials doubted Bennett's ability to influence Putin's actions.
A report by the Israeli channel "I24" stated that Zelensky refused to answer Bennett's call immediately after the latter's meeting with Putin.
According to what the channel reported - citing "Weekend News", Zelensky had known since the night before the visit that Bennett would go to the Kremlin to meet the Russian president.
She added that the meeting was with American encouragement and not a Ukrainian initiative, and this is added to Ukraine's strong criticism of Israel's war policy, according to the channel.
reservation and mediation
Since the start of the Russian war on Ukraine on February 24, Israel has taken a conservative approach because of its good relations with Kyiv and Moscow;
In an effort to maintain delicate security cooperation with Russia, which is militarily present in Syria.
Accordingly, Bennett has not yet joined Western countries - especially the United States, an ally of Israel - in condemning the Russian war, stressing in return the strong relations with both Russia and Ukraine.
Israeli media said that Bennett had reservations about Ukraine's request to supply it with weapons, but he pledged to provide 100 tons of non-military aid.
Israel has also set up a hotline for Jews in Ukraine who seek to emigrate because of the war.
Bennett's meeting with the Russian president was the first of its kind for a foreign leader since the invasion began last week, and followed a request from Kyiv to mediate.
It is reported that Bennett is a religious Jew who does not usually conduct official activities on the Sabbath (the weekly Jewish day of rest) except in exceptional circumstances.
The Ukrainian president tried to mobilize support for his country, including a Hebrew-language social media post in which he addressed the world's Jews.
Zelensky praised the image that spread of people who wrapped themselves in the Ukrainian flag at the Western Wall in occupied East Jerusalem, a site considered by Jews to be the holiest place in the world and where they pray.
But Zelensky added - according to several reports - that he does not feel "that the Israeli government has wrapped itself in the Ukrainian flag."
Lapid and Blinken
In the same context, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will meet Monday in Riga with his American counterpart Anthony Blinken, according to Lapid's office.
Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal warned against "a high-stakes gamble by Bennett".
"If it turns out that Putin exploited and deceived Bennett," he added, it would cause "great political cynicism" that the Israeli prime minister would fall victim to.